


First Spark

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Series: Mages and Familiars [8]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: I promise, M/M, This one has a happy ending, but i'm tagging it to be safe, the violence isn't really that bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 18:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6019900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Koutarou is a young fire mage who just wants to help. When he joins a forest spirit on a mission to hunt down a group of bandits, he'll come out of the experience with something he hadn't expected to get so soon: a familiar.</p><p>Or: Bokuto is Going to Have to Explain Some Things When He Gets Home</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Spark

Koutarou was on the roof of his family's farm house, leaning against the warm chimney in a rare moment of quiet, worn out from a long day of helping his parents harvest their crops, watching the flames of a campfire in the distance. There was a merchant caravan due in town in the next day or so; that was probably their fire glowing in the dusk. Koutarou hummed to himself and held a hand out, palm-up, and summoned a fire of his own, a small flame that danced across his skin. He smiled; he'd always liked his flames, though the way they grew and shrank in response to his emotions sometimes worried his parents.

In the distance, the campfire flared, and a faint sound reached his ears. He frowned, and the sound grew louder. It sounded like...screaming. Koutarou's eyes flew wide, and he quickly slid down the roof, dropped to the ground, and hurried to the door of the house. His father was already there, sleepily peering into the darkness.

"The merchants," Koutarou said, and his father nodded.

"It's probably bandits," his father said. "Come inside, Koutarou. They probably won't get this far." Koutarou hesitated, his palm still warm from his fire.

"I could help," Koutarou said. "I can use my magic." His father shook his head.

"Absolutely not. You'd only get yourself killed, too," he said. "Or you'd get there, and it would be too late. You're too young to go rushing off to the rescue, even if you are a mage." Koutarou frowned.

"I can't just do nothing," Koutarou replied. "Let me try."

"I said no, Koutarou. Come inside and go to bed," his father ordered. Koutarou huffed, but went inside. He heard his father bolt the door behind them, and the boy trudged to his room. He flopped down onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, the faint moonlight shining through the window and gilding the room silver. The window. Koutarou grinned and sat up, pushing the window open. He slipped out the window and made his way to the barn, where the family's horse was stabled. He woke the animal, bridled and saddled it with quiet, practiced movements. Then he led the horse out of the barn, away from the house, using a few sparks near his feet to light their way. Once he was far enough from the house, he summoned a bigger flame, lighting the ground farther ahead, and mounted the horse.

When he reached the place the campfire had been, he knew his father was right. He was too late. The campfire was out, and what hadn't been destroyed had been taken. Spreading his flames to light the area, Koutarou saw several lifeless forms scattered around the ransacked caravan. He bit his lip and fought back the bile that rose in his throat. He was too late. The merchants were dead. Movement at the edge of his firelight drew his attention, and he tensed, holding the horse's reins in one hand and summoning flames around the other, ready to throw fire at whoever was there.

"Who's there?" Koutarou called. "Show yourself, or...or I'll use my magic."

"Why don't you introduce yourself first, mage?" a quiet voice replied from the direction of the movement. Koutarou hesitated.

"I'm Bokuto Koutarou. My family's farm is nearby," he added. "Who are you?" The person who stepped into the light wasn't what Koutarou had been expecting. For one thing, the newcomer obviously wasn't a merchant or bandit, because he wasn't human. He was too tall, his ears delicate and pointed, his features too smooth, his movements too graceful. For another thing, he was gorgeous, with soft-looking dark hair and sharp, dark eyes that seemed to pin Koutarou in place.

"My name is Akaashi. I'm tracking the bandits who destroyed this caravan," the newcomer answered. Koutarou couldn't help but gape at him.

"You're a spirit," the mage whispered. Akaashi raised an eyebrow.

"I am. Whatever gave it away?" he asked. Koutarou tried to look away, but couldn't.

"You're beautiful," the young mage said, not sure what else to say. Akaashi rolled his eyes.

"Why are you here?" the nature spirit asked.

"I heard people screaming, and I wanted to help," he admitted. "But I didn't get here in time." He sighed dejectedly, the flames lighting the area flickering and dimming, and the fireball in his hand vanishing. Akaashi studied him for a long moment.

"You seem to be a decently strong mage," Akaashi observed. "But your emotions affect your magic too much. You should go home. There's nothing you can do." Koutarou bit his lip.

"Are you sure? You said you're tracking them. I could help you," he offered tentatively. Akaashi considered for a moment, then shrugged.

"I could use a little extra help, and with your horse, we could probably catch up to them," the nature spirit mused. "All right." He approached the horse, his form blurring as he moved, becoming shorter, his ears rounding and his features roughening, becoming more human. "My human form will be easier for the horse to carry," Akaashi explained. Koutarou still thought Akaashi was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The mage reached down, holding out a hand, and Akaashi took it, letting Koutarou pull him onto the horse, so Akaashi was seated behind him.

"Which way?" Koutarou asked, hoping his voice wasn't betraying the fact that he was blushing furiously for _absolutely no reason_. Akaashi's arms wrapped around the mage's waist, and okay, now there was a reason to blush, Koutarou decided, because the nature spirit was pressed against his back, and for a minute he thought he felt the warmth of a summer night surrounding him.

"That way," Akaashi replied, pointing. As Koutarou urged the horse in the direction Akaashi indicated, the nature spirit made a soft sound of surprise.

"What is it?" Koutarou asked. Akaashi took a moment to reply.

"I was just thinking. You seem like a kind-hearted person. I almost regret letting you come with me," he sighed. "When we find the bandits, you should hang back and let me handle things, okay?"

"You're planning to fight them by yourself?" Koutarou frowned. "No way. I want to help."

"Have you ever fought anyone with your magic? Ever killed anyone?" Akaashi asked calmly. When Koutarou didn't answer, the nature spirit continued, "I've been chasing these bandits for a while. To make them stop, I'm going to have to kill them." They rode in silence for a while as Koutarou processed this.

"I want to fight," the mage said quietly. "I can at least watch your back, and if it comes down to it, I think I would kill if I had to." Akaashi sighed, his breath tickling the back of Koutarou's neck and making him shiver.

"I won't stop you. But please try not to die, okay? I don't want a good human's blood on my hands." Koutarou grinned.

"Whatever you want, Akaashi!" he replied cheerfully.

"Hush," Akaashi grumbled, slightly mystified by the human. "We're close; I can sense their captive." As if he could sense Koutarou's confusion and curiosity, Akaashi continued in a whisper, "I've been tracking this group because they're potential familiar hunters, as well as bandits who prey on their fellow humans. They only have one potential with them right now, a friend of mine named Sarukui."

"So this is a rescue mission!" Koutarou exclaimed happily. Akaashi shushed him. They were close; Koutarou could sense fire nearby, and he could just make out the glow of a small campfire over the next rise. The mage reined in the horse, and Akaashi slid to the ground. Koutarou followed, glancing at the horse worriedly. He hadn't thought about how he was going to keep the animal from running away.

"The horse will wait here," Akaashi murmured. Koutarou blinked at him, and Akaashi smiled and explained, "Most nature spirits can talk to animals, especially forest spirits like me." Koutarou's eyes widened.

"Awesome!" he said, just barely remembering to keep his voice down. Akaashi shook his head and gestured for Koutarou to follow him as they made their way to the top of the ridge, staying as low as they could. They reached the top and looked down at the bandits' camp. Most of them were sleeping, arrayed around the campfire, but one was awake, apparently keeping watch. 

"If you distract the one on watch, I'll take care of the others," Akaashi said. "Don't hit Sarukui with your fire, okay? He's the cat over there," he added, pointing to a small feline that appeared to be tied to one of the bandit's wrist by what the mage could only assume was a charm to keep the potential familiar from escaping or attacking his captors. Koutarou nodded his agreement, then concentrated on the campfire, focusing on making those flames his.

"Ready when you are," the mage whispered once he'd succeeded. Akaashi nodded, and Koutarou took that as his cue, urging the campfire to suddenly shoot higher, twisting into the sky. The man on watch jumped, then froze in terror, staring at the swirling flames as Koutarou guided them to drop and then spread, reaching for the bandit. While the man was focused on the flames, Akaashi darted down the ridge, utterly silent, and paused by the first sleeping bandit just long enough to crouch, draw the man's dagger from beneath his pillow, and slash his throat with it. Then he was on to the next bandit and the next, until there were only two left: the one on watch and the one attached to the potential familiar. Akaashi glanced up the ridge, to where Koutarou was, then stepped toward the man who was currently scrambling away from the reaching flames. Better to kill that one next, the nature spirit decided.

Koutarou saw the one attached to the potential familiar sit up, and alarm spiked through his system as the bandit drew a knife and shifted to his knees, drawing his arm back, preparing to throw the weapon at Akaashi's back. Koutarou let out a strangled shout, loud enough to be heard by the people in the camp below, and both bandits and the nature spirit looked toward his position. That only lasted for a second, though, because the flames flared, then rushed toward Akaashi, who froze in place, expression calm. Instead, the fire split, curving around him, then condensed into a single stream again and lashing out at the bandit. Koutarou just barely managed to get his fire narrow enough so that it burned the bandit and the leash-like restraint on the potential familiar, but not the cat itself. The bandit screamed and fell, flames consuming his clothes. He fell silent shortly after that and didn't move again.

As soon as the restraint was nothing but ash, the cat launched itself at the last bandit, a ball of fur and fury that slashed at the man's face and chest. The bandit tried to get his hands on the animal, only for Akaashi to slip behind him and plunge the stolen dagger into his back. The bandit fell, and the cat changed to human form. Akaashi greeted the potential familiar, then turned toward Koutarou's position and beckoned for him to join them. Koutarou did so happily, bounding down the ridge toward them. He did his best to ignore the bodies laying unmoving where Akaashi had dealt with them, but it was the charred body of the bandit Koutarou himself had killed that got him. The mage turned away, his exuberance vanishing as he bent over and emptied his stomach.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to actually have to kill anyone," Akaashi said, offering Koutarou a canteen he'd picked up from one of the bandits' bags. The mage took it gratefully and rinsed his mouth.

"Still. I'm impressed," the potential familiar - Sarukui was his name, right? Koutarou thought - put in. "You didn't even singe one hair on my hide."

"I was worried I might lose control," Koutarou admitted, glancing at the nature spirit. "I was really afraid I was going to burn you by accident at the end there." Akaashi smiled slightly.

"I knew you wouldn't," he replied. "I could sense it when we were riding, and again when the flames were coming at me. Your magic recognized me." Sarukui whistled, and Akaashi glared at him.

"I'll head back to the forest," Sarukui said hastily. "Maybe I'll see you again soon." Then he was in cat form - larger this time, a bob cat instead of a house cat - and bounding away into the night. Akaashi shook his head and turned to Koutarou.

"You saved me," Akaashi said. "I was too focused on the sentry; I didn't notice the other one had woken up. Thank you." Koutarou shrugged, his enthusiasm returning.

"It was pretty cool, even if I did kill the guy," the mage mused. Akaashi smiled.

"Yes, it was. Now I should make sure you get home safely," the forest spirit said. Koutarou nodded, and together they returned to where the horse was waiting. For a while they rode quietly. Then Akaashi spoke. "Hey...Bokuto, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you have a familiar?"

"Because there aren't any potentials on the farm," Koutarou answered. "And I'd need to go to a Guild to learn how to summon one."

"Why don't you join a Guild?" Akaashi asked. Koutarou shrugged.

"I like living on the farm; it's my home. I'll have to leave eventually, though. I can't do anything with my magic to help people if I'm always in the middle of nowhere," he said. "I considered leaving last summer, but my father wanted me to stay and help with the harvest."

"You'll need a familiar before you strike off on your own as a mage," Akaashi said. Koutarou sighed.

"I already told you-"

"You don't need to summon anyone," Akaashi interrupted. "You have a good heart, Bokuto. You're fierce when you have to be - the way you saved me proved that - but you're kind, too." Koutarou slowed the horse to a stop so he could look over his shoulder at Akaashi.

"Are you...offering to be my familiar?" the mage asked, eyes wide. Akaashi nodded, watching his reaction closely. "I don't know how to form a bond, though. And we just met, and you're way too pretty to be stuck as my familiar." Akaashi laughed.

"All you have to do is wait for me to formally offer. Then you say 'I, Bokuto Koutarou, choose the forest spirit Akaashi as my familiar.' And then you give me a name as a symbol of our bond, and channel your magic into a point of physical contact," he explained. Koutarou's eyes managed to widen more.

"Okay. Um..."

"I am Akaashi, a forest spirit," Akaashi said calmly, taking one of Koutarou's hands and making the mage blush. "I offer myself as your familiar, to protect you and guide you, and stay by your side." Koutarou opened his mouth, closed it, then took a deep breath and spoke.

"I, Bokuto Koutarou, choose the forest spirit Akaashi as my familiar," Koutarou said carefully, channeling his magic into his hand where it touched Akaashi's. Instead of igniting, the magic practically sang as it swirled around their joined hands. "As a symbol of our bond, I name you Keiji." The magic settled, and Koutarou felt the bond settle in the back of his mind, more solid than he had expected, but more reassuring, too. He grinned, and if they hadn't been on the horse, he might have hugged Akaashi.

"Well done, Bokuto," Akaashi said as the mage faced forward and urged the horse to move again. The forest spirit rested his forehead against the mage's back, smiling as he whispered to himself, not quite realizing he was speaking out loud, "I'm yours now." Koutarou was glad Akaashi was sitting behind him, so his new familiar couldn't see how red the mage's face was.

It wasn't until Koutarou's family's farm loomed ahead in the darkness that Koutarou realized he didn't know how he was going to explain this to his parents.


End file.
